COOK'S ILLUSTRATED WHITE LAYER CAKE

Chef Jill Smith & Everyone at Vivande agree this is the best recipe for a light AND moist white cake.

If you have forgotten to bring the milk and egg white mixture to room temperature, set the bottom of the glass measure containing it in a sink of hot water and stir until the mixture feels cool rather than cold, around 65 degrees. Cake layers can be wrapped and stored for one day. Once assembled, the cake should be covered with an inverted bowl or cake cover and refrigerated.

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I first came across this recipe via cooksillustrated.com. I’ve been making it for years and it’s my absolute favorite cake recipe! It always turns out well. The only change I make to the recipe is to use 7oz organic all-purpose flour and 2oz potato starch instead of the 9oz cake flour (a tip I learned from a cake cookbook). I try to use organic ingredients when possible, and it’s nearly impossible to find organic/unbleached cake flour, hence the substitution. I make this cake any chance I get and always get tons of compliments!!!

Made a quarter batch as a tester and followed recipe to a T, minus the almond extract, though I should've upped the vanilla to compensate. Besides that, the cake was perfect.
Do others confirm that carton whites don't work for this recipe? I read a comment below saying that, but I'm making a large batch and I don't need that many yolks laying around. Thanks.

I would not make this cake again! Very disappointing! I have been baking for a long time and enjoy trying new recipes, but this recipe is one for the circular file...followed the recipe exactly except I used 2 tspn vanilla and 1/2 tspn almond because a little almond goes a long way. The batter had bits of dough that never fully incorporated because of the reverse creaming method, needless to say the sponge came out very gummy and sticky in texture. After cooling for a few minutes the center collapsed. I was baking this for my mom's birthday, but now I need start over, with a different recipe of course. Waste of time and expensive ingredients!!!

Follow-up to my previous review. As predicted by me, the cake was AWEFUL! It was WAY too sweet, dense and rubbery. I am not very good at analyzing the recipe to figure out what was wrong. I had gotten a "recommendation" from the website The Bake More; White Cake Test. She ranked it No.1. I cannot for the life of me figure out why she gave this recipe such a review.

Giving this cake 1 fork is being generous. I followed the directions to a "T" and had the freshest ingredients. When 25 minutes passed, I was SHOCKED to see that it had not risen; or perhaps 1/8 of an inch. It didn't turn a golden brown which every cake that I have ever made did. It was sticky feeling and looking. I haven't frosted it as of this review so I haven't tasted it. Truly afraid it will taste as bad as it looks. I am SO EMBARRASSED!!!!!!! THIS WAS FOR MY DAUGHTER'S BIRTHDAY!!

Reverse creaming is what people are having a problem with. Measure and add the dry ingredients to the bowl and mix for 30 seconds. Add the softened butter (but not so soft it doesn't hold it's shape; a little cold) and mix on #2 Kitchen Aide for almost 1 minute till it looks like coarse sand. Measure your milk, take out 2 oz and set aside. Add the whites and flavorings to the 6 oz of milk; set aside. Very slowly pour down the side the 2 oz of milk on #2 and mix 1 1/2 minutes; scrape in between. Very slowly add the rest of the milk/egg mixture in 3 increments and beat for 30 seconds after each addition; scrape. Done, no more mixing!

Like a previous reviewer, I made birthday cupcakes, and they were delicious. I eliminated the almond extract because I don’t care for it, but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. Baked the cupcakes for 19 minutes. They were perfect. Next time, however, I will make them without cupcake papers, which were a little difficult to peel off.

Unbelievable recipe. I have been searching for a white cake recipe with this texture and flavor for years! I do have a question though: has anyone experienced issues with their cake sinking in the middle with this recipe? I do quite a bit of baking and don't have this issue often so was wondering if I should tweak the recipe a little bit. One thing that I thought might have contributed to it was that I cut the recipe in half (still baked in a standard 9" cake pan though, just had a single layer cake). Please let me know your thoughts!

This recipe resulted in terrific cupcakes! I used 2tsp vanilla and 1tsp almond extract, whipped the egg whites slightly before adding the rest of the wet ingredients, and used a hand held mixer. I think the hand held mixer allowed for more control in breaking up bits up butter and creating an even "crumb" consistency prior to adding the wet ingredients. I used an ice cream scoop to divide the batter into 24 cupcakes and baked at 350 F for about 17-18 minutes. They were a huge hit at my daughter's bday party!

Excellent white cake. I followed the recipe aside from using just a 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract instead of the 2 teaspoons the recipe calls for. That was plenty...and I really like almond extract. I may actually do 1/4 teaspoon next time.

Stellar white cake recipe. Exactly what I was looking for in white cake, which is my absolute favorite. Method, no tricks there. I actually prefer this method for cakes. Omit almond. Use great quality butter, eggs, and flour. You won't be disappointed with the results. I paired mine with an espresso Italian buttercream and shortbread crumbles between layers. My aim was to mimic the flavor combo of my husbands favorite treat, shortbread + espresso, and it worked.

Stellar white cake recipe. Exactly what I was looking for in white cake, which is my absolute favorite. Method, no tricks there. I actually prefer this method for cakes. Omit almond. Use great quality butter, eggs, and flour. You won't be disappointed with the results. I paired mine with an espresso Italian buttercream and shortbread crumbles between layers. My aim was to mimic the flavor combo of my husbands favorite treat, shortbread + espresso, and it worked.

Tried this recipe tonight and, "Yes" there were some unincorporated bits in the batter, and it was slightly thin, but that's where any issues ended for me.
I did reduce the Almond Extract to 1/2 a teaspoon (not a fan of that flavor), and had to increase the bake time in my particular oven by 10 minutes.
The Cake came out exactly the way I hoped, and my family enjoyed the rich flavor and tight crumb; the finished product was surprisingly light and moist...I could not be more pleased with the results.
I have been baking for 48 years, and this is the absolute best White Cake recipe I've ever encountered...Even in Culinary school
Will definitely be my go-to cake from now on.

Tried this recipe tonight and, "Yes" there were some unincorporated bits in the batter, and it was slightly thin, but that's where any issues ended for me.
I did reduce the Almond Extract to 1/2 a teaspoon (not a fan of that flavor), and had to increase the bake time in my particular oven by 10 minutes.
The Cake came out exactly the way I hoped, and my family enjoyed the rich flavor and tight crumb; the finished product was surprisingly light and moist...I could not be more pleased with the results.
I have been baking for 48 years, and this is the absolute best White Cake recipe I've ever encountered...Will definitely be my go-to cake from now on.

When I make a coconut cake, I like to use a white cake to start, infusing it with orange rind, orange extract, and adding Grand Marnier liquor to the frosting, along with some orange zest. I have been baking for forty years.
I would not make this cake again. I have a tried and true white cake recipe, and could not find it, so I made this one.
The ingredients are essentially the same as my recipe, in different quantities. But the process is vastly different. This batter was thin, had flecks of unincorporated ingredients when beaten at the times given, and was rather skimpy in volume.
The finished cakes were gummy, as others have said in reviews. I followed the recipe exactly as I am exasperated by those who make a changes, then pan the recipe in a critical review. Some have had good luck, it may be the temperature of the ingredients, beating time, oven temperatures, age of leavening, etc. But this recipe is not consistently good for everyone.
My favorite recipe calls for combining the room temperature egg whites and milk, but the butter and sugar are creamed (as in traditional cake recipes), then the wet and dry ingredients are added, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
The batter is creamy, the cakes moist, and the volume is enough for three layers, if you watch your baking time.
My recipe:
3 1/2 cups cake flour
4 teaspoons of baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 large egg whites, room temperature
1 1/2 cups whole milk, room temperature
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Cream the butter and sugar. Beat in vanilla. Combine eggs and milk. Combine dry ingredients. Add dry ingredients to flour mixture, then wet ingredients, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Bake at 350 for 35 minutes for two nine-inch layers. Bake at 350 for 25 or so for three nine-inch layers. Watch baking time.

PS. To Cinderella 4645: I always make my cakes ahead and freeze them for later use. This one was no exception. I took two layers out today and frosted. ..had hard time restraining the urge it eat some now instead of saving it for a party tonight! 😊 My opinion is that cakes are better when the flavor has had time to develop....not the same day.

Best. White. Cake. Recipe. EVER! I do agree with a previous reviewer about decreasing the almond extract. I used 1/2 tsp. And found it to be plenty. White cake is my all time favorite and this is the only recipe I will ever use for it from now on.

I've made this cake four times (as of today) and it seems to be getting better each time. Light, moist...and it improves a little on day two. The reason I needed to add a review was to say that I'm not beating the batter quite as much as instructed--and I think that's why it's getting more tender.